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Hundreds set to deploy from Kansas

Hundreds of soldiers in Kansas are preparing for upcoming deployments.

About 250 transportation soldiers from Fort Riley, Kan., are scheduled to deploy in late April and early May for year-long tours to Iraq, post officials announced Wednesday.

A deployment ceremony has been scheduled April 17 for 24th Transportation Company, 266th Movement Control Team, and 2nd Platoon, 2nd Transportation Company.

The three units will be on their third deployment supporting missions related to the wars in Iraq and Aghanistan and counterterrorist operations.

The 266th will coordinate the movement of personnel and equipment while in theater. The 24th and 2nd companies will be responsible for convoy operations.

About 200 soldiers of the Kansas National Guard’s 35th Division will deploy to Kosovo later this year to become the headquarters unit for Task Force Falcon, a multinational peacekeeping force, according to a news release.

The unit, which has its headquarters in Leavenworth, has soldiers from Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. The soldiers will mobilize in July, and they will train at Camp Atterbury, Ind., before going to Kosovo in the fall.

The 35th Division last served in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2003. It also responded to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

In other deployment news, the 35th Military Police Company, of Topeka, Kan., has been alerted for deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit will leave within the next few months to begin training at Fort Dix, N.J., before leaving for Iraq.

About 170 soldiers from the 35th MP Company are affected by this call-up, and any other positions that remain will be filled by soldiers from 1st Battalion, 635th Armor, of Manhattan, Kan.

About 850 Kansas Guard soldiers are in Iraq.